oddXian: Challenge the Consensus

When we consider the doctrine of free will in Christian theology, we often focus on its role in the original creation and the fall of humanity. However, it's crucial to examine how sin has fundamentally altered the nature of human free will since that pivotal moment in Eden. This article explores the profound ways in which sin has undermined our capacity for truly free choice. In the beginning, God created humans with the ability to make uncoerced decisions, including the choice to love and obey Him. This freedom was exemplified in Adam and Eve's ability to choose between obedience and disobedience in the Garden of Eden. However, their decision to sin marked a turning point not just in human history, but in the very nature of human will. Augustine's framework of the four states of man provides a helpful lens through which to view this transformation. Before the fall, humanity was in the state of "posse non peccare" (able not to sin). Following the fall, we entered...

In the realm of theological discourse, few topics have generated as much debate and soul-searching as the Problem of Evil (PoE). How can an all-powerful, all-loving God coexist with the reality of evil and suffering in our world? This article aims to explore this age-old question through the lens of Biblical Christianity, logical reasoning, and the concept of God's ultimate purpose. To understand the PoE, we must first grasp the nature of God as revealed in Scripture. God is not only omnipotent and omnibenevolent but also perfectly logical and consistent. His power, while unlimited, operates within the bounds of logical consistency. This isn't a limitation but a reflection of His rational nature. Scripture reveals God's ultimate purpose: to glorify His Son as Lord, Savior, and Judge, and to create beings fit for eternal communion with Him. This framework is crucial for understanding His actions and allowances in our world. For God's purpose to be fulfilled, genuine free...

When we observe the world around us, one of the most ubiquitous and inescapable phenomena is the relentless tendency of nature to tear things down. Left to their own devices, physical systems inevitably decay, erode, and disintegrate over time. Mountains gradually crumble into dust, buildings deteriorate and collapse, living organisms age and die.  This is not just a superficial trend, but a fundamental law of physics known as the second law of thermodynamics. In any closed system, entropy - a measure of disorder and randomness - always increases over time. The arrow of time inexorably points in the direction of decay and equilibrium, as highly organized structures dissolve into simpler, more homogeneous states. Given this pervasive natural propensity for degradation, it is striking that the universe around us exhibits such astonishing examples of complexity, beauty, and organization. From the exquisite fine-tuning of physical constants that permit a life-permitting cosmos, to the ...

The so-called “Problem of Evil” that is used to challenge the existence of God is not an issue for Biblical Christians. Verses like Genesis 50:20 and Romans 8:28 show that ultimately, the existence of evil and its service to God's good purposes can be understood through the logical framework: "All that exists serves God's good purpose; Evil exists; Therefore, evil serves God's good purpose." This does not imply that evil is intrinsically good or that God directly causes it, but rather that God, in His wisdom, has chosen to allow evil for a time to fulfill His redemptive plan for us and bring glory to Himself through Jesus.

Naturalism and atheism are often presented as the default rational positions, but a deeper look reveals profound philosophical challenges to their coherence and explanatory power. Naturalism asserts that nature is all that exists and that all phenomena can be explained through natural processes. Atheism, which frequently relies on naturalistic presuppositions, is the lack of belief in any gods or supernatural forces. However, both worldviews face significant obstacles. First, naturalism appears to rest on circular reasoning - it assumes the primacy of nature and then interprets all evidence through that lens. This begs the question, effectively sidestepping the need to provide a more fundamental justification for its core claim. While naturalists appeal to the success of science as validation, the scientific method is arguably underdetermined when it comes to ultimate metaphysical questions. Science's explanatory triumphs do not rule out the existence of realities beyond the strict...

Introduction The theory of intelligent design (ID) has emerged as a significant challenge to the dominant paradigm of naturalistic science. ID proponents argue that the apparent design in the natural world, from the intricate machinery of the cell to the fine-tuned laws of the universe, is best explained by the action of an intelligent agent rather than purely unguided processes. However, ID has struggled to gain traction within the scientific establishment, largely due to the way in which naturalism has come to define the very boundaries of science itself. This essay will explore how naturalism borrows key concepts from the design paradigm without proper justification, creating a self-defeating framework that limits scientific inquiry and progress. The Origin of Information and the Appearance of Design One of the most striking examples of naturalism borrowing from design is in its explanation for the origin of information. At the heart of life lies a vast amount of complex, specified ...

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." (John 1:1, 3, ESV) Introduction The doctrine of the imago Dei, the belief that human beings are created in the image and likeness of God, is a central tenet of the Christian faith. From the opening pages of Genesis to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, Scripture bears witness to the profound truth that we are bearers of the divine image, called to participate in God's ongoing work of creation and redemption.[1] In recent years, the discoveries of quantum physics have shed new and provocative light on this ancient doctrine. The strange and wondrous world of the quantum – with its emphasis on indeterminacy, entanglement, and the role of the observer – has opened up fresh possibilities for understanding the nature of reality and our place within it.[2] Far from being a realm of cold, deterministic pa...